I don't know what I'm talking about...

Dashell talks a lot, nonstop at high volume about everything, including very specific requests on how his food, clothing and toys should be handled. This morning he was asking for some raisins and he kept saying " Mama I want them in a small one. A small one, Mama." I was in the kitchen and said "A small what Dashell? " And he yelled back, "Mama! Mama, I don't know what I'm talking about." At least he admitted it for once! Of course, it only took him about 2 seconds to remember that he meant a small BOWL, but still, for probably the only time in his life he admitted he didn't know what he was talking about.

Kick, Kick, Kick

Stratton had his first ever soccer practice last night. He has been so excited about it for weeks that we were nervous he would get too worked up about it and meltdown....not that he has ever done that before. :) But he LOVED it! His coach is great with the kids and Stratton kept telling me how fast he was and how all his practicing really helped. It was wonderful to see something come so easy for him. Maybe we will finally reach a point where we can be excited for something and actually enjoy it! I think he looks great! Probably the best he'll look all summer since he won't take off any of his soccer clothes and insists that he is going to wear them EVERY day. He ran into my bedroom this morning and jumped on the bed yelling " Kick, kick, kick! I love soccer!" Now we just have to see how his first game goes tomorrow.

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a lovely and very hot Memorial Day weekend, most of which we spent out on a gravel bar of the upper Chena River. The boys got in lots of fishing and the dogs got lots of swimming and it was a great way to spend a very sunny weekend. We loved being able to spend time with my brother's family Saturday and playing with cousins. Stratton still thinks his older cousins make the best exploring partners. Stratton is a remarkably good fisherman and can cast very well all on his own. Now if only he could hook something! It is still early, especially given our late spring. Let's hope his optimism holds out long enough for the fish to take an interest in his above average casting skills.Dashell is also quite good, considering he is just 2. We still don't trust him with a real hook on the end of his line, but his satisfaction with the rubber fish on the end of his line is wearing thin. Maybe by the end of the summer....

Stratton throwing a line in.....

Brothers eating lunch together.

Testing out a rock bridge they built during a fishing break.

Dashell showing off his very well loved Batman pole.

This isn't from this weekend, but a little while ago Brigg slept out in the backyard with the boys. They loved it! They didn't sleep, but they loved it and would have moved out to the tent permanently if we had let them. They are both getting so big and the talking never stops from the minute they wake up until they finally crash at night, especially since they started sharing a room. Their nightime conversations can be epic and highly emotional arguments over who will drive the bigger dump truck when they grow up. I feel like Dash has skipped being a toddler and jumped right into being a preschooler out of sheer determination to catch up to his brother. And his arguing skills are way ahead of Stratton's. Stratton still gets stuck on the "Because I want to" loop, but Dash can come up with all kinds of reasons to get his way. Last night he got a new shirt in the mail from his Grandma that he was very excited about and decided he couldn't wait until morning to wear it. He said, " But Mom, it is just my perfect size. I know it." And, given that he will fight tooth and nail any article of clothing that does not have his absolute approval, he got to wear it to bed. Stratton has been working on his jokes and Dashell is his constant test audience. His newest joke yesterday went like this. " What would you say if you found a cow in the refrigerator? Oh no, all the milk is gone because the baby cow drank it all!" The humor level is still questionable, but the effort is definitely there.